A strong earthquake that toppled homes in north eastern Burma has killed more than 40 people, and there were fears today the toll would mount as conditions in more remote areas became known.

Last night's quake, measured at a magnitude 6.8 by the US Geological Survey, was centred just north of the town Tachileik in the mountains along the Thai border, but was felt hundreds of miles away in the Thai capital Bangkok and Vietnamese capital Hanoi.

Burma state radio announced today that 41 people had been killed and 48 injured in the quake.

It said 244 houses, 14 Buddhist monasteries and nine government buildings were damaged.

Burma's state radio later announced that 65 people had been killed and 111 injured in the quake, but was updating the total frequently.

An official from the UN's World Food Programme said there were many casualties and serious damage in Mong Lin village, five miles (from Tachileik. State radio said 29 were killed there and 16 injured.

The state-run New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported that 15 houses collapsed in the town of Tarlay, where radio broadcasts said 11 were killed and 29 injured. Another UN official said a small hospital there was partially damaged as well as a bridge, making it difficult to access the town.

The newspaper said another two people were killed in Tachileik, including a four-year-old boy. It said six people were injured in the town, which is just across the border from Mae Sai in Thailand's Chiang Rai province.

In Mae Sai, one woman was killed when a wall fell on her, according to Thai police, but damage was otherwise minimal.

UN officials said medicine would be sent to the affected areas as soon as possible along with an assessment team in co-operation with the Myanmar Red Cross Society.

Most of rural Burma, one of Asia's poorest countries, is underdeveloped, with poor communications and other infrastructure, and minimal rescue and relief capacity. The country's military government is also usually reluctant to release information about disasters because it is sensitive to any criticism.

The government tightly controls information, and in 2008 delayed reporting on - and asking for help with - devastating Cyclone Nargis, which killed 130,000 people. The junta was widely criticised for what were called inadequate preparations and a slow response to the disaster.

Somchai Hatayatanti, the governor of Chiang Rai province, said dozens of people suffered minor injuries on the Thai side of the border. Cracks were found in buildings in downtown Chiang Rai city, about 55 miles from the epicentre, including a provincial hospital and city hall. The tops of the spires fell off from at least two Buddhist temples.

As a precaution for aftershocks, a relief centre was being set up in Mae Sai.

Burmese state radio later put the death toll at 74 people with at least 111 injured.